Poor souls have a friend in Public Administrator Gary Gotlin

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - The role of public administrator may be something of a mystery to a lot of folks.

Gary Gotlin, public administrator.

Staten Islanders are lucky to have Gary Gotlin in the post of public administrator of Richmond County.

His
job runs the gamut, from developing policy and overseeing those
policies, to improving public agencies and the services offered - all in
the name of justice and efficiency. We can vouch that he's truly
sincere about making a difference in the community and helping to
improve the quality of life for locals.

During a recent discussion with Gotlin - who referred to his own conversation with Surrogate Robert J. Gigante
about policy - we touched on the authorization of burial without a will
and the presence of family. Gotlin declares he does everything in his
power to prevent anyone under his jurisdiction from being buried in
potter's field, New York City's municipal burial ground on Hart Island.

"I
firmly believe that everyone deserves the dignity of a proper burial,
especially those who have no one to speak for them," comments Gotlin,
who's cognizant of the fact that one day a family member may appear
inquiring about deceased relatives.

"We have to have dignity in
the world," Gotlin adds. By burying these who died without anyone,
Gotlin says he sleeps well knowing that they were buried with dignity
and may be visited in a cemetery, as opposed to potter's field. Gotlin
comes across numerous cases such as this year after year and negotiates
with funeral directors, asking that they contribute services. For
Gotlin, potter's field is not an option.

Earlier this month, an
unborn child was buried as authorized by Gotlin in the Garden of Angels
in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains, a section for unknown and
abandoned children. As a kind deed, the Scalia Funeral Home donated
services to this end, though Gotlin goes on to explain that,
interestingly, parents have a right to donate their children's remains
to medical science.

Surrogate Gigante confided he's fortunate to
have Gotlin as public administrator, someone who has developed a solid
relationship with the city Police Department and medical examiners. He
adds that when funds are depleted during circumstances such as this,
Staten Islanders really rally to the cause.

Says Gigante, "Gary
has great community ties with various charities and organizations. His
ear is always to the ground and we've been fortunate that no one on
Staten Island goes to potter's field" under former Surrogate John Fusco's
administration or Gigante's. He notes that Islanders know that,
regardless of religious beliefs or background, they are blessed with a
community of funeral directors who bury pro bono and provide the dignity
of a proper burial on Staten Island.

"One of the things I am most proud," Gigante continues, is being the surrogate of Richmond County.

Jack
Pease, president and CEO of Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center,
Egbertville, and his family visited the Southwest as a gift for son
Marty's high school graduation. They zip-lined across canyons, and
rafted the Colorado, but the most amazing thing was walking on the Grand
Canyon Skywalk. Jack says it was built based on a vision experienced by
a Native American, which was "to walk the path of the eagle, and become
surrounded by the Grand Canyon." The picture shows Marty Pease testing
the strength of the bridge and feeling as if he were flying!